After the End
by Secrets-in-Desguise
Summary: After the battle at the Valley of the End, Sasuke stares down at his friend. Since he's leaving, maybe just this once he could give in to these feelings... SasuNaru, fo sho. OneShot Read and Review, please and thank you!


**Author's Note:** So, this is....um... well, you see, I had this idea in my head so I tried writing it. Partially inspired by the SasuNaru drawing of them kissing after the battle, in the rain, cha know which one I mean? and partially by the song _It's Been A While_ by Stain'd. And I apologize for uke!Naruto... he just got a bit desperate and ended up coming across as rather weak... But he did just get his ass handed to him by his best friend who is also abandoning him... Yeah. Okay, so it's basically the canon story up until this bit starts. It starts after Naruto's unconscious and Sasuke's looking at him in the rain. I can't decide if I want you to be brutally honest or gentle with critique, so you get to pick.

**ARIEL:** Did you find this online? Cool. So, keep in mind that I haven't actually gotten this far in the anime, although I think I've cumulatively seen the entire Sasuke/Naruto battle from the Valley of the End, but in scattered clips of AMVs... Yeah, well. Um... I'm sorry if this sucks. Oh well, I tried. Oh, and the POV keeps getting all jacked up (it's supposed to be basically Sasuke POV). And I abuse ellipses. But all lower case after punctuation is purposeful. Uuummm..... enjoy? I apologize for the fail. Also, it needs a title....

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO, yeah? Srsly, the whole shebang belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. **

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**After the End**

The boy was unconscious. Sasuke stared down at him, ignoring the rain and wondering what to do next. Suddenly he coughed, spitting blood. The sudden pain brought him to his knees. When he could breathe again he glanced up. Naruto's face was right in front of his. Sasuke froze. Gone were the desperation, the fierce determination, and the anger... anger at Sasuke. Sasuke stared. _He'd had to do it; he needed the power that would come with Orochimaru's tutelage. But..._

Naruto's breathing was even, but Sasuke had to lean closer to be able to tell. The rain was coming harder now, cold on his back, but he was already wet anyway. Sasuke's chest abruptly clenched tight until it hurt to breath. His eyes started to wander Naruto's face, coming to rest on Naruto's lips... Sasuke closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. _No. Not like this. Not now._ He opened his eyes again slowly. He really shouldn't, but...

But he was leaving, possibly forever. Probably forever. It would never affect his plans if just once he got what _he_ wanted. No one would know. And it wouldn't hurt Naruto. Sasuke winced. Well, not anymore. He lowered his head toward his friend, his own breath spiking harshly. Slowly he leaned forward, eyes closed once again. His stomach cramped with anxiety: because this was wrong, of course it was! but no one would know, no one would care...

He carefully, gently, slowly pressed his closed mouth to Naruto's. Naruto's breathing stayed the same rhythm; his lips were terribly chapped, probably by that mysterious hot red chakra from earlier. Sasuke stayed very still and took a breath through his nose. He moved his head ever so slightly to the side and shuddered at the sensation of Naruto's lips brushing his. Sasuke pressed down slightly and was still for a few more moments. Then he leaned up and back. Naruto's breath brushed Sasuke's black bangs slightly. The rain was still coming down as Sasuke continued to stare at Naruto's face, emotions rolling inside his chest and across his face, now that no one could see. _This was going to hurt even more now, damn it!_

Sasuke abruptly looked away, using his hands on his knees to rise stiffly. It was time to go. Hell, it was way past time to go. He turned – and froze when he heard a rustling behind him.

"Sasuke..." spoken slowly through parched lips.

Sasuke grit his teeth and turned, shoulders tensing. The boy in his torn, offensively bright clothing was sitting up, staring at him. The tranquility of sleep had left Naruto's face. The desperation was back, but Naruto was no longer angry. There was something else, though – was that fear?

"Sasuke."

This time it was a plea. Naruto struggled to a kneeling position, then forced himself to stand with the stubbornness Sasuke knew so well. But he looked pale, and his eyes were slightly unfocused.

Sasuke was alarmed_. He couldn't be conscious! Had – had he felt – did he know??_ Despite the panic in his mind, Sasuke kept his cool expression. Then Naruto too a shaky step forward and Sasuke belied his cold demeanor by also stepping forward. It was a good thing he did, because Naruto stumbled and started to fall. Sasuke caught his teammate and lowered them both to the ground again. _God, he was so tired..._

"Naruto. I'm leaving. You cannot fight me anymore." Sasuke said. The response was not what he expected.

"I know..." Naruto whispered sorrowfully. Sasuke's eyes widened. _Naruto giving up?_ They knelt facing each other, but Naruto was staring at the ground. His blond spikes were soaked and flat. His shoulders slumped. Sasuke felt his heart twist horribly. _I don't have time for this!_

Naruto continued to speak quietly, "I know. You won, Sasuke, but..." Naruto looked up sharply, eyes meeting Sasuke's. "But don't go! Please don't leave. I _need_ you!" Naruto's eyes were wide and urgent.

Sasuke stood again, turning so that he wouldn't have to see his friend's grief and hurt so clearly in those wide blue eyes.

"SASUKE, WAIT!" Naruto shouted, wrenching himself up again.

"No, Naruto. I can't."

Naruto paused, then – "Sasuke... Kiss me."

Sasuke froze, back still to Naruto. _He knew! Naruto fucking knew! And he was using it to keep Sasuke from going. But he asked... He can't want this! But he __asked__. _

Sasuke turned. "What did you say?" he asked coldly.

Naruto looked panicked and desperate. "I said... I said k-kiss me, Sasuke."

"Why?" Sasuke said tonelessly, but he was truly asking. _Why? Why, Naruto?_

"Because you want to!" In his panic, Naruto's voice had risen to a shout. "You... want this. From me. So – so I'll do it!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You don't even want me to." His heart clenched, but Naruto didn't deny it. He started to turn again.

"Please!" Naruto screamed. His eyes were rather shiny, so he looked away again.

Sasuke's mouth twisted. "Naruto, don't."

Naruto looked up again. His face was streaked but set in a fierce expression. He took several aggressive steps forward until he was right in front of Sasuke, fisting Sasuke's shirt in both hands. Then he hesitated. Sasuke's breath was speeding up. His indifferent expression had been replaced by one of startled astonishment. Naruto shut his eyes and pressed his closed lips to Sasuke's. Sasuke stilled.

Desperate, Naruto moved his head sideways. Nothing. Naruto's hand reached up to grab the back of Sasuke's neck. Sasuke didn't move. Naruto's panic spread until it blocked his mind. Frantic, he instinctively moved his lips, parting them slightly.

Sasuke snapped. In a flash, his hands were gripping Naruto's wet hair, twisting and pulling. He tilted his head and parted his own lips. He gave in, letting his tongue pass his own lips, then Naruto's. _Oh, this was bad. It was wrong! Naruto was his best friend!_ Sasuke's tongue moved clumsily in Naruto's mouth, stroked Naruto's pointed teeth... _But Naruto was letting him, had asked for this..._ And in the part of himself where Sasuke knew this was only a wild attempt to protect a bond Naruto needed, he didn't care. Because... Sasuke hauled Naruto closer by his hair and deepened the kiss. Naruto...

Naruto hadn't moved, had stopped reacting when Sasuke took control of the kiss. His fingers loosened from Sasuke's shirt. He let himself be pulled forward, let his head be tugged sideways, let his lips be pushed further apart, only he made no move of his own. But he wouldn't pull away. Not if it made Sasuke stay.

Sasuke's fingers slipped from Naruto's hair, trailed down his neck, moved to his chest – and shoved. Naruto tumbled back and fell hard, catching himself on his hands. He stared up, stunned.

Sasuke was looking away, panting. A look of disgust crossed his pale face. _What had he done!? Naruto hadn't wanted _that_. He was letting Sasuke toy with him!_ And Sasuke had taken advantage. He took a step backward. _This was sick! This was twisted. _ He'd manipulated Naruto, used his friends emotional weakness to get something only he selfishly wanted.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I – I am so sorry." Sasuke whispered the apology, his stomach roiling. He clenched his eyes shut, never worrying about an attack. Naruto was done.

The boy in orange continued to stare up, confused but too tired to be angry.

"Naruto, I'm leaving. Don't follow me. Please... just forget me." Sasuke screwed his eyes shut tighter, forcing the words out. "I – that – we – you don't want this and you shouldn't want me in any form. I'm an avenger," he continued coldly, "I can't have any other cares or any other purpose. You only did what you did to stop me from go-hmmph--!"

Naruto had thrown himself at Sasuke and kissed him again roughly. Sasuke punched his teammate in the gut and Naruto went down gasping for breath.

"STOP!" Sasuke screamed, "Just give up this time! I might want you, Naruto, but I can't have you!"

"You can..." came a broken whisper from the ground.

Sasuke gasped, then lowered his voice. "I wish I could. Good bye, Naruto." The words were pained, without the normal Uchiha indifference. And with that, he was gone, speeding off through the trees and leaving Naruto still fighting for breath. He left his scratched head band behind.

Naruto only stared. Then he curled up on his side, hugging his knees to his chest. He wasn't crying: he was too exhausted. He just lay still and slipped back into unconsciousness.

"I won't ever give you up," Naruto breathed, "You are my friend, and I will get you back if it kills me."

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THE END

**Author's Note:** Well, there ye have it. If it seems a bit one-sided... it's supposed to be. If it was a full fic, it would eventually be a two way thing, but since it's a one shot, that story will never be told. Right now, all Naruto knows is that he is desperate to keep his first/only/best friend. And yes, I am aware that the last line is shockingly lame.


End file.
